The
Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects,
preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American
war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from
veterans and better understand the realities of war.

The WWII Veterans Project

This is an exciting time to be a student in Essential Skills. Our
project, saving the stories of WWII veterans, is more than just a
class assignment. It's a way to preserve history for future
generations, learn a lot about a very crucial period in world
history, and talk with people that have a message everyone should
hear.

An effective interview doesn't just happen. There's a bit of work
involved in getting the best results. Knowing a general history of
World War II is a start. Then focusing on the experiences of the
individual being interviewed is critical. Once you've "done your
homework" there's a set procedure the Library of Congress requests
for each interview:

IMPORTANT: Begin your interview by announcing:
• The name of your veteran.
• His or her birthdate.
• War served in and branch of service.
• Highest rank achieved.
• Date and place (town and state, but not address) of recording.
• The interviewer’s name and relationship (e.g., relative, friend),
if any, to the interviewee. Also, the name of anyone present
assisting in the interview. • The interview is being conducted for
the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.

NOTE: Do not ask for personal information such as home
address, phone number, Social Security number, or family names. What
to Ask Here are a series of suggested topics.

What follows is an outline—not a script to be followed to the
letter.
Let your veteran tell the story in his or her own way.

1. A Few Biographical Details.
• Where and when veteran was born.
• Family details: parents’ occupations, number and gender of
siblings.
• What veteran was doing before entering the service.
• Other family members who served in the military.

2. Early Days of Service. • How veteran entered service—draft
or enlistment.
• If enlistment, why and the reason for choosing a specific branch
of service.
• Departure for training camp, early days of training.
• Specialized training, if applicable.
• Adapting to military life: physical regimen, barracks, food,
social life.

3. Wartime Service.
• Where veteran served.
• Details of the trip abroad, if applicable.
• Action witnessed, or duties away from the front line.
• If applicable, emotions relating to combat—witnessing casualties,
destruction.
• Friendships formed and camaraderie of service.
• How veteran stayed in touch with family and friends back home;
communication from home.
• Recreation or off duty pursuits.

4. War’s End, Coming Home.
• Where veteran was when war ended.
• How he or she returned home.
• Reception by family and community.
• Readjustment to civilian life.
• Contact with fellow veterans over the years; membership in
veterans’ organizations.

5. Reflections.
• How wartime experiences affected veteran’s life.
• Life lessons learned from military service.

The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project
in 2000. The authorizing legislation (Public
Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo
Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and
Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received
unanimous support and was signed into law by President William
Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

Oxbridge got involved when Tony Marconi from the Palm Beach
Historical Society approached the school with a great
idea...the rest is history.

Brigadier General Irzyk being interviewed at OA.

Do your HomeworkPart of a story... Battle of the Bulge
“The incident which became known as the “Malmedy Massacre” happened
at the Baugnez crossroads in the Ardennes Forest in Belgium on 17
December 1944, the second day of fighting in the famous ‘Battle of
the Bulge’, where American troops suffered 81,000 casualties,
including 19,000 dead, in one of the bloodiest battles of World War
II.

The German Army suffered 70,000 casualties with 20.000 dead in
the month-long battle, which did not even stop for Christmas Day. It
was during this decisive battle that a number of American soldiers
were taken prisoner by Waffen-SS soldiers, who were fighting in the
battle group named ‘Kampfgruppe Peiper’, which was spearheading the
German Attack.”